Overview
A seven day, self-guided walking holiday, walking in the Tusheti region of north-east Georgia, which is tucked into the Greater Caucasus. This tour takes you through a traditional collection of mountain villages, famous for their folk architecture and fortress houses, where time seems to have stood still. Cross gorges and valleys to access each village, stay in Tusheti guesthouses with views of the snow-capped mountains, and no shortage of Georgian food and wine. Tusheti is one of the few regions in the world where you can still experience a true transhumance lifestyle, with most residents moving themselves and their herds to the lowlands in winter. You really get to immerse yourself in their summer culture on this tour.
Breakfast is always included, as well as seven dinners on this tour.
- Pichekhi Castle
- Tusheti Valleys
- Traditional villages of Tusheti
- Nakaicho Pass (2,900m)
- Alaverdi Church
- Omalo
Itinerary
Day 1: Tbilisi – Shenako
You are transferred early in the morning from your chosen accommodation in Tbilisi, and much of the day is spent driving. This route from Tbilisi to Tusheti takes you through Kakheti, the wine-producing region of eastern Georgia, then up and over the stunning Abano Pass (2,826m). In the evening you arrive in the beautiful village of Shenako, home to traditional folk architecture and the Church of the Trinity, dating back to 1843.
- Transfer time: around 8h. The road over Abano Pass is unpaved, and therefore quite bumpy.
- Overnight in a guesthouse
Note: It is possible to split the transfer and have one extra night in Telavi on the way to Tbilisi. The Kakheti region, of which Telavi is the capital, is the main winemaking region in Georgia. There are numerous wineries and wine tasting tours, available on request.
Day 2: Shenako – Diklo | 10km
From Shenako, start walking to the ancient village of Diklo. From Diklo walk to Pichekhi Castle, an ancient fortress on the border with Dagestan, which has amazing views of the Tusheti Valleys. According to legend, Diklo was once invaded by an army of 10,000 soldiers, and 16 local warriors from Diklo managed to defend Pichekhi Castle for 18 days. When the old village of Diklo finally surrendered, the inhabitants moved to a new territory which is the current Diklo.
- Walking for the day: 3-4h (10km, 450m elevation gain)
- Overnight in a guesthouse
Day 3: Diklo – Chigo – Dartlo | 15km
This day is a more strenuous trek, taking you up to an elevation of 2,450m. Hike through the remote village of Chigo with views across Alazani Gorge. Finally, you arrive at the traditional village of Dartlo, with stunning examples of the local vernacular architecture – fortress houses.
- Walking for the day: 6-7h (15km, 1,200m elevation gain)
- Overnight in a guesthouse
Day 4: Dartlo – Chesho – Parsma – Girevi | 14km
Today the route follows a timber road connecting all the villages along Pirikita Alazani Gorge. In Chesho there is a guesthouse and shop where you can relax, before continuing to Parsma. Take a diversion from the road up a hill to Parsma and then continue to Girevi, which is the last settled village of Tusheti in Pirikita Gorge. It also offers beautiful views of Alazani Valley.
- Walking for the day: 4-5h (14km, 350m elevation gain)
- Overnight in a guesthouse
Day 5: Girevi – Nakaicho Pass (2,900m) – Jvarboseli | 14km
We recommend starting this day early as it takes you over Nakaicho Pass (2,900m). Start off by walking back towards Parsma and cross the bridge over the Alazani River. Start your ascent to the Pass, with stupendous views along the way. You then start your descent to Gometsari Gorge, then onto the villages of Dadikurta and Verkhovani, located on the side of the hill. Verkhovani is home to the tallest fortified tower in Tusheti (17m). From Verkhovani, follow the road for about 1km till you arrive at your guesthouse in Jvarboseli.
- Walking for the day: 6-7h (14km, 1,000m elevation gain)
- Overnight in a guesthouse
Day 6: Jvarboseli – Omalo | 21km
From the guesthouse, follow the dirt road to Begela village. From here, the road ascents into the slope and follows the contour line through the forest. After an hour, you should see Dochu village below you, which is situated on the slope below the road (you can take a detour to visit the village). Continue following the dirt road to the highest inhabited settlement in Europe, Bochorna, located at 2,345m above sea level. The walk then continues to Omalo, the capital of the Tusheti region and the largest settlement in the area, where we recommend visiting Keselo Castle in upper Omalo, a fortress dating back to the 17th century.
- Walking for the day: 7h (21km, 1,166m elevation gain)
- Overnight in a guesthouse
Day 7: Omalo – Tbilisi
You are transferred to Tbilisi, where this tour comes to an end. If you are extending your tour to stay in Tbilisi, we recommend taking time to visit Alaverdi Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is a 2h drive from the capital. Alaverdi is the tallest church in Georgia and one of the finest examples of Georgian medieval architecture.
- Transfer time: approximately 8h
Note: As per the first day of the trip, it is possible to split the transfer and have one extra night in Telavi on the way to Tbilisi.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour is in family-run guesthouses and traditional mountain lodges. Although most guesthouses have private rooms (double or twin), they have basic amenities and facilities are often shared. However, they are clean and welcoming, offering cultural immersion in this historic region.
Click to view photos of the default guesthouses
Meals
Breakfast is always included, as well as seven dinners.
Difficulty and terrain
This holiday is appropriate for experienced walkers and requires a very good level of fitness (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We suggest you to stay close to other travellers and luggage porters on the trails, as protective shepherd dogs are not uncommon in the region.
We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from early June until mid-September. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates and you can start your trip on any date in the season. The climate in the region is continental, cold and temperate. Tusheti has alpine weather with long, cold and snowy winters. In June and September snowfall is also possible. And even in summer, it can become cold, especially during the night.
The regions where our Georgia trips take place are completely safe, as they are located far from the conflict regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
Visa info
UK citizens and most west European citizens do not need to obtain a visa to enter Georgia. Detailed information regarding visa requirements can be found here. If a visa is required, travellers can apply for e-Visa here.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Tbilisi International Airport
By train or bus
- Travel to the city centre by bus or taxi. For more information, see Tbilisi International Airport, or use the Omio planner above
- Private airport transfers are available upon request
Inclusions
Included
- Detailed pre-departure holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps (electronic copy + paper map)
- Accommodation for six nights in Tusheti in guesthouses
- 6 breakfasts
- 6 dinners
- Car transfer Tbilisi-Tusheti on day one
- Car transfer Tusheti-Tbilisi on day seven
- Baggage transfers on all walking days
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Overnights in Tbilisi
- Meals in Tbilisi
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses such as snacks, drinks, phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Any items not specifically mentioned as ‘included’ in the program
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers
- Entrance fees for attractions and museums
- Extra nights in Tbilisi
- Tbilisi guided walking tour
- Extra nights in Telavi on the way from/to Tbilisi and wine tasting tours
- Airport transfers to/from Tbilisi city
